Chet's Very Bad Day
by Kathey0607
Summary: When Johnny finds a way to harass Chet the others join in not knowing that it would take a turn for the worst.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"**The Sign of Scorpio"**

Mike, Roy and Johnny were sitting at the table drinking their morning coffee, while thy waited for the rest of the shift to finish changing into their uniforms and join them for roll call and duty assignments for the day. Johnny had the newspaper in front of him and was reading Mike's horoscope. "Cash matters are not looking too great today. Treks to the mall are highly likely to result in overspending, or impulse purchasing, or even false economy. What you buy today will almost certainly strain your budget, but won't really light your fire. Tomorrow, however, cash matters improve!" Chet walked into the kitchen/training, room and got himself a cup of coffee, just as Johnny finished reading Mike's, horoscope. Johnny turned to Chet and asked, "What's your sign Chet, Scorpio isn't it?"

"Yah," Chat answered. "But I don't believe in all that stuff."

"I don't either," Johnny said. "But some times they're just so ludicrous that anyone can get a good chuckle out of them. For instance Mike's horoscope, tells him not to go shopping today because he will spend too much money on impulse shopping." Then Johnny turned to Mike and asked, "Mike, when was the last time you went shopping at the mall?" His voice full of mirth.

Mike shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know, it's been a while though."

See what I mean, Johnny laughed. He shook the paper and said, "Chet, here's yours." After a brief pause he began reading. "Now, as the Sun enters Scorpio, it shines its light of awareness onto the routine of your daily life. Even if you're a rugged individualist, this is not a time to travel alone. You will be more vulnerable to accident, so make sure that you don't lose track of your own needs and well being. See what I mean," Johnny laughed. "Just because the Sun is shining on you today you're suppose to have bad luck." Johnny dropped the paper so he could look at Chet and asked, "So have you had any accidents today?" Just as Marco walked in to get some coffee.

"What if I have?" Chet answered, "It's no big deal."

A quirky smile spread across Johnny's face as he realized he had an opportunity to hassle Chet. "Do you mean to tell me you've had an accident already today?"

"Look Johnny," Chet said, realizing he was in the line of fire and being set up for harassment. "Nothing is going to happen to me today."

Marco turned from the stove with a cup of coffee in his hand and walked over to stand next to Chet and asked. "What's this about Chet having an accident?" He had picked up on this opportunity to harass Chet and wanted to join in. Everyone on A-shift had been teased, or had practical jokes played on them by Chet and any opportunity to get back at him was quickly pounced upon.

Roy piped up, "Johnny was reading Chet's horoscopes out of the news paper today and it says he is going to have bad luck today."

At that moment, Chet raised his coffee mug up to his mouth and Marco noticed a scrape on the back of Chet's hand. "What happened to your hand Chet?" Marco asked.

"Nothing." Chet said quickly, as he set his coffee cup on the table and shoved his hand into his pocket.

"I'm sure I saw a scrape on the back of your hand," Marco insisted.

Chet reluctantly pulled his hand out of his pockets and said, "Look it's nothing. I just scrapped it on my way out the door this morning."

"Wow looks like your bad luck has already started." Johnny said, as he pounced on the opportunity before it could pass.

"You better watch out for yourself today," Marco added. "Or something terrible will happen to you."

"Thanks Marco, I didn't know you cared about me so much." Chet responded, sarcasm thick in his voice.

Captain Stanley stepped into the kitchen and call out, "Roll call in two minutes."

All the men stood and headed to line up in front of the squad and fire engine. After giving his men the once over he started handing out duty assignments that needed to be taken care of throughout the day, but before he had given out all the assignments, he was interrupted by the familiar tones that alerted everyone of an incoming call.

"Station 51, Car accident at 1985 East and Holmes Ave., 1,9,8,5, East and Holmes, cross street Lincoln, time out 8:10."

Captain Stanley quickly ran to the radio station, and quickly wrote the address on two slips of paper, he picked up the mike and responded, "Station 51, 10-4, KMG-365."

He hurried over to the squad and handed Roy one of the slips of paper, who passed it over to Johnny. Johnny had pulled a map out of the glove compartment and looked up the address and began giving Roy directions as to the best rout to take.

Cap continued on around the front of the squad and pushed the button that opened the large bay doors. Then he hurried over and climbed into the passenger's side of Fire Engine and slipped on his turn coat and hat. Both vehicles pulled out onto the road, lights flashing and sirens blaring, announcing their way to the location of the car accident. Roy skillfully led the way as he guided the squad through the traffic down Holmes Ave.

As they reached the address, Johnny pointed to their right. "Look over there in the parking lot." Roy pulled into the Safeway's parking lot and over to where a group of people had gathered around a woman.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

** "Car Accident"**

Roy and Johnny hopped out of the squad and quickly pulled out their equipment. Roy grabbed the bio-phone and Drug Box. While Jonny pulled out the trauma box and oxygen and stepped over to the injured woman who was sitting up agent the side of a parked car, with her young son standing next to her crying. "This looks like a vehicle-pedestrian accident." Roy commented to Johnny. "What happened hear?" Roy asked as they moved past the ring of bystanders and knelt down next to the injured woman and tried to wrap the blood pressure cuff around her left arm. He quickly noticed that both of her arms were stiff as she was using them to support herself in her up right position.

One of the women in the crowed spoke up saying. "Her little boy ran out in front of that truck." She pointed to a small truck sitting a few feet way. There was a man standing next to it, his face was pale and he seemed agitated, as he watched the paramedics care for the woman. The women continued to narrate. "His mother was chasing after him when the truck hit her."

Johnny quickly inquired, "Was the boy hit too." He set down his Equipment and turned his attention to the crying little boy. Johnny knelt down next to the little boy and gave him a big smile as his eyes ran over him for a quick observation for possible injuries.

The women shook her head and responded, "No! He's very fast on his feet."

"What's your name?" Johnny asked the boy.

The boy was standing next to his mother with a tear streaked face and he kept saying, "I'm sorry Mommy. Are you okay?" and he didn't respond to Johnny request for his name.

Hey little man," Johnny called to him as he took the boy by the shoulders and gently turned him a little so that he was facing him. "Are you hurt anywhere?" The boy shook his head. Johnny quickly ran a trained hand over the little boys arm's and legs and checked his pulse. When he was satisfied the boy was not injured he picked him up and carried him over Chet. "Hey Chet, can you take care of this young man for me."

Captain Stanley stepped down from the engine and quickly scanned the situation. He saw that his paramedics were assisting the woman and young boy so he quickly turned his attention to the rest of the seen. He over heard the woman's description of what had happened and noticed the man standing next to the Toyota truck. His face was pail and he was running a hand thru his hair and looked agitated. Cap approached him and asked, "Are you all right?"

Then man turned to him and said, "I didn't see the little boy." He began to explain as he looked over to where the paramedics were working on the woman. "All of the sudden this lady ran out from between the parked cars. I tried to stop . . . ." Then he looked at Cap and asked, "Is she going to be okay?"

Cap glanced over to the woman and then back at the truck driver and said, "She is in good hands." The put a hand on the man's shoulder and with gentle pressure he directed him over to the fire truck. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Steven," was all that he got in return.

Cap directed him to sit down on the running boarded and checked his pulse. Then he looked at him and with a smile and a calming voice he said, "Steven, I want you to take a deep breath and let it out slowly."

Vince came over to where Cap bent over keeping eye contact with the man. "What have we got Captain Stanly?"

Before he responded to Vince, Cap asked the man, "Feeling a little better?" He could see a little color returning to his face. Steven nodded and Cap patted his shoulder and stood up and turned to Vince and explained what he knew about the accident seen.

As soon as he was filled in, Vince turned to truck driver and asked, "Could answer some questions for me?"

The man nodded his head and looked up at the police man standing in front of him. Cap could see things were under control here and turned back to evaluating the seen.

"Hey little guy," Chet said. As he turned to take the little boy away form all the action. "My name's Chet. What's yours?" The young boy turned to look over Chet's shoulder with out responding. Then when Chet rounded the corner of the fire truck, taking the boy out of sight of his mother, the little boy started kicking and screaming. "I want my Mommy, I want my Mommy!" Chet quickly carried the boy back around the truck and back into view of the boy's mother. He set him down and knelt down next to him. Then he turned the little boy's face around, so that he was looking at him. "Calm down," Chet said to the boy. "We'll stay right here where you can keep an eye on your mommy." He pointed to his mother, "See my friends over there? There going to take good care of your mother." Chet brushed the tears that were rolling down the boy's face and asked, "Will that be okay with you?" The little boy nodded his head, as he watched the paramedics help his mother. Chet continued talking to the little boy, in an effort to distract him some. "Can you tell me your name?" He asked the boy again.

"Timmy." The little boy said, not taking his eyes off his mother.

Roy could tale that the woman was in a lot of pain and he set the blood pressure cuff down on the ground and said, "Hi, my name is Roy DeSoto. What's yours name?"

"Susan Brimley." she said, as a grimaced of pain flashed across her face.

"Susan can you tell me what happened?"

She began to describe the events leading up to the accident. "I sat Timmy down for a second, so I could close the car door and he took off running for the front of the store." She paused for a moment as a wave of pain hit her. Then with a weak smile she explained, "He likes to ride the mechanical horse." At that point Susan's face changed from pain to fear and she asked, "Where's Timmy? I have to keep an eye on him. He has no fear and is often getting into trouble." She explained as she turned her head up to look for her son.

"Don't worry." Roy told her, and pointed over to where Johnny was handing the boy over to Chet. "One of the other firemen is keeping an eye on him. He's safe. Now relax and let us take care of you." Roy could see a few scrapes on Susan's face and arms, where she had hit the pavement after the truck had struck her, "Susan, can you tell me where you hurt?"

"My legs."

"Do you hurt any were else?" He asked her as he began to palpate her left leg beginning at her ankle. The woman shook her head with little movement. As Roy's probing moved above up to her thigh the woman let out a cry of pain. "I'm sorry." Roy told her, "bear with me for a little bit, we need to pinpoint where your injured."

Johnny retuned to the woman's side and began to take he pulse. It was fast and thready and her respirations where fast and shallow as well. Johnny noticed the BP cuff on the ground and asked, "Did you get her blood pressure?"

Roy shook his head, "We need to lay her down." then Roy called over towards Mike and Marko who were standing close by. "Can you give us hand here?" the two men hurried over and in a low voice Roy explained, "she had two possible broken femurs and we need to move her with all as one." With a nod of their heads the four men gathered around the woman and Roy told her, "Susan, we are going to move you so you can lie down. It may hurt some but we will be as quick and as carful as we can." Roy and Johnny positioned themselves on either side of her hips and Mike and Marco were ready to take her shoulders and support her head. "Okay on the count of three," Roy called out, "One, Two, Three . . ." the four men quickly lifted the woman up and moved her away from the car where she was leaning against and laid her down and the woman let out a scream of pain.

Johnny grabbed the BP Cuff and began getting a blood pressure and Roy turned to Marco and asked for a blanket, and back board. He quickly turned and ran off to retrieve the requested items. Then Roy turned to Mike and told him, "Start her on some Oxygen." Then he turned and set up the bio-phone and contacted Rampart. "Rampart this is Squad Fifty-one, how do you read?"

Dixie McCall hurried over to the radio base station and pushed the Communication button. "This is Rampart, VC. I read you loud and clear."

"Rampart we have a female approximately 35 years of age. She is a victim of a motor pedestrian accident. Her vitals signs are BP 100/50, Respirations 30, and pulse in 140. We suspect fracture of both femurs."

"Ten Four fifty-one," Start IV-D5W, immobilize and send us another set of vitals.

"IV-D5W, immobilize and new vitals ten-four Rampart"

Marco returned with a yellow blanket and back board, and waited for them to be ready to use them.

Johnny was fitting a C-collar around Susan's neck. "Susan," Johnny got the woman's attention, "We have to move you onto this back board, do you understand." She nodded her head.

Mike and Marco knelt down and they quickly rolled Susan and slid the back boar under her, she cried out but not as much as when they had laid her down. Roy quickly mover to her head and asked her, "Susan I'm going to start an IV on you." Her eyes were closed and she was slow to respond.

Johnny pulled out his bandage scissors and cut the woman's pants up to her thighs. While Marco pulled the blanket out of the yellow cellophane and quickly covered the woman. The first thing Johnny notice, saw was the discoloration of the skin around her injuries.

"Roy," Johnny called to his partner. "There are signs of subcutaneous bleeding as well."

Roy nodded his head, to show Johnny that he had heard and turned to the bio-phone. "Rampart, victim has swelling and signs of subcutaneous bleeding on both of her thighs, respirations 22, Pulse is 97, hold for BP.

Dr. Morton acknowledged Roy, "Ten-Four, fifty-one."

Johnny looked up from the BP cuff and said, "95/40." Then he called out to the woman, "Susan?" she didn't answer. "Susan can you hear me?" He lifted her eye lids and shined his pen light in to her eyes. Then he rubbed her sternum with his knuckles. And she gave a soft moan and moved her head."

"Rampart, BP is 95/40 and victim has lost conscious and can't be roused. She does respond to pain stimuli."

"Ten-Four Fifty-One. Start second IV- Ringers and apply anti-shock trousers and transport immediately."

"Ringers, anti-shock trousers and transport Ten-Four Rampart."

As soon as Marco heard the instructions for anti-shock trousers he hurried off to retrieve them as fast as he could.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

**"The Bite"**

Chet and Timmy had stayed where the boy could keep an eye on his mother and the paramedics who took care of her. Chet had continued asking Timmy questions, in an effort to distract him. But Timmy often didn't answer but he remained quiet and watched. When the men around his mother started moving faster and a sense of urgency began rising. Timmy became agitated and tried to pull away from Chet crying, "Mommy, Mommy."

Chet grabbed the boy tighter and tried to reassure him, "Your mommy is in good hands. My friends are taking good care of her." But Timmy kept fighting to pull away from him. Finally Chet pick the boy up, so he couldn't use the traction of his feet to pull away from him. The little boy continued to kick and writhe in his arms fighting to get away. After struggling for a minute or two he leaned down and bit Chet on the arm. Chet let out a cry of pain set/dropped the young boy.

As soon as his feet touched the ground and he felt the fireman loosen his hold the boy released his clichéd teeth and ran towards his mother.

Cap heard Chet cry out in pain and turned to see what had happened. Chet was bent over holding his arm and the small boy was running towards his mother. The little boy ran past Vince, who was still talking to the truck driver. He tried to stop the boy but he quickly dodged away from his out stretched hands. Cap quickly ran into his path way and intercept him, before he could reach his mother. The boy tried to doge around him too but Cap was able to grab him. He lifted the frightened boy up to his eye level and said, "Calm down. Your Momma's going to okay. My friends over there are taking good care of her." The Boy looked over to where his mother lay.

He was scarred, "Momma," he cried out. When there was no response from his mother he began to struggle harder against Caps hold. While working to keep him restrained Cap called over to "Chet what's his name?"

"Timmy."

"Timmy," Cap called out in an authoritative voice, The boy stopped fighting and began crying, Cap knelt down and set the boy on the ground while he kept a good hold of him. "Timmy I'm sorry your momma got hurt, but see those men over there." Timmy eyes were riveted on his mother and the men working on her and he nodded his head. "Soon they are going to take her to the hospital in the ambulance over there." Then he asked, "Would you like ride in the ambulance too?"

Timmy nodded his tear streaked face and answered, "Yes." with an added little sobs.

As soon as they had inflated the anti shock trousers and secured Susan to the back board they lifted her onto the gurney and she was rolled over to the ambulance.

Cap followed behind the men, holding Timmy in his arms. When they got to the ambulance, Cap pointed to the inside of the ambulance and said, "See Timmy, in there my friends have everything they needed to take good care of your Mommy." Then he told him, "There not a lot of room back here for you and the men to help her and you too."

Timmy started to cry again. "I want my Mommy."

"You can go with your Mommy." Cap quickly reassured the little boy, as he carried him around to the front of the ambulance. He opened the passenger side door and set the boy down in the front seat. "You can ride to the hospital here in the front seat. That way my friends will have the room they needed to take care of your Mommy. Okay?"

Timmy sniffed his nose and said, "Okay." Cap pulled the seatbelt around the little boy and locked it in place. "Fred," Cap called to the Drive as he got behind the steering wheel. "This is Timmy." Timmy this is Fred now you stay with him and he will make sure you get inside and taken care of until some one from you family or a friend comes to get you. Understand?" Timmy sniffed and nodded his head. "Good Boy." Cap stood and closed the door and Mike offered Timmy his hand as he spoke quietly to him while he listened for the slap on the door signaling the back doors were secured.

Roy accompanied Susan in ambulance while Johnny was to follow in the squad. He watched as the ambulance pulled out then he turned to pack up their remaining equipment when he was interrupted the call of his Captain, "Johnny can you come and take a look at Chet arm?" With a puzzled look on his face Johnny walked over to where Chet was sitting on the runner of the fire truck. As Johnny drew near he saw he was holding a gauze pad to his arm and that he was bleeding. He quickened his step while asking, "What happened?"

"The kid bit me!" Chet exclaimed.

Johnny squatted down in front Chet and lifted the gauze pad. Once he realized he wasn't hurt to badly a small grin came to his face and he let out a whistle. "It looks like he might have taken a chunk with him." Johnny quickly retrieved one of the equipment boxes from the squad and pulled out some peroxide and proceeded to clean the wound. "What did you do to him?" He asked.

"Nothen!" Chet exclaimed, "He was just worried about his Mom. He was trying to get away from me. So I picked him up to get a better hold of him and he bent down and bit me."

Johnny quickly finished tapping a clean gauze pad over the bite and stood up and turned to where Cap was standing behind him. "It's pretty deep and where the kid broke the skin, it would be a good idea for the doctor to check it out. Besides he will need to tetanus buster." At the mention of the booster Johnny heard Chet grumbling in a low voice.

"Okay Gage," Cap answered. "Take him in with you to Rampart."

"Ten-four Cap," Johnny acknowledged with a grin on his face.

At Rampart, Dixie waited to quickly direct Roy and the ambulance attendant to the room waiting for the woman. She took a good look at Roy's face as he rushed by and she knew thing were not looking good for his patient. "Room 3," she told them as she turned to follow them down the hall.

Fred turned and smiled at Timmy and asked, "ready to go in?" The boy nodded his head and Fred reached over and undid his seatbelt and then he got out of the ambulance and gestured with his hands for the boy to come to him. Timmy stood up on the seat and walked over to Fred and he picked him up and carried him inside.

Roy was leaving the room when Fred cam walking up to him. "Hey Roy, can you take Timmy?"

"Sure Fred," Roy took the boy from him and moved over to the waiting room and sat the boy down in a chair and knelt down in front of him. "I bet you're really worried about your mom huh?" The boy nodded his head as he began looking around. "Well she with the Doctors now and they are going to do all they can for her, okay." Timmy nodded his head again. "Tell you what lets go down to the Cafeteria and get some ice cream while we wait, does that sound good."

Roy stood and offered Timmy his hand. The little boy took it and the two headed down the hall.

As they passed room 3 Dixie came out of the room she saw Roy with the little boy. "Who do we have here?" She asked.

"This is Timmy. He's going to wait with me until his family comes. In the mean time were going to get some ice cream. Will you let Johnny know where I am when he gets here."

"Sure Roy. Then she waved at the little boy, "I'll see you later." She watched as Roy and the little boy walked off.

A little while later, Johnny backed the squad into the parking spot next to the ambulance. Chet climbed out of the passenger side of the squad and waked in through the emergency door with Johnny following behind him. As they rounded the corner, Johnny saw Dr. Early standing in the hall way looking at a chart. "Doc, have you got a minuet?" Johnny called out.

"Sure what you got?" He inquired as he saw the bandage on Chet's arm.

"He got bit," Johnny replied.

"A dog bite?" Dr. Early asked, as he guided Chet into room 4.

"It was a little monster." Chet said as he sat down on the gurney.

"It was a 5 year old boy." Johnny explained when Dr. Early gave him a puzzled look. "Chet here frightened him."

"I did not," Chet retorted.

Dr. Early removed the bandage and examined the bite. "Boy, he got you good."

"Yes, he got me good." Chet repeated, with a note of irritation, "Everyone who has looked at it has said that."

"We'll Chet, I think we need to clean the wound out good and put in a couple of stitches." Dr. Early explained, after he looked the wound over good. Then he added, "And it would be a good idea to start you on some antibiotics to prevent infection and I'll check your records to see if you need a tetanus booster."

"Oh Joy." Chet grumbled. As Johnny and Dr. Early walked out of the room.

It was a little while later when a nurse came in carrying a needle in her hand. "Sorry but you need a Tetanus shot." She stepped over to the medicine cabinet and gathered up alcohol and cotton and set them on a tray along with the shot needle and pushed it over to the gurney. "Which arm do you want me to use?" she asked as she stood there with a cotton ball dowsed with alcohol.

Chet decided to have it in the same arm as the bite as it was hurting already. _No need to spread the pain around_, he told himself. As soon as the nurse was fished Dr. Early came in and gave him an injection to num the area around the bite in preparation for stitches.

After Johnny left the room he stepped over to the nurse's desk where Dixie was filling out some papers. "Have you seen Roy?"

"Yah, he told me to tell you he's in the cafeteria." Dixie told him somewhat distracted by her paper work.

This was puzzling to Johnny, "Why the Cafeteria?"

"Um, He's getting Ice Cream." She told him as she stood and hurried into Room 3 leaving Johnny standing in the hallway.

With a shrug of his shoulders Johnny turned and head off to the cafeteria. "_Ice Cream does sound good,"_ he told himself.

Johnny and Roy were replenishing their supplies for the squad, while Johnny was telling, Roy and Dixie about Chet. "He got him good too," Johnny exclaimed.

There came a moan from behind him, and he turned to see Chet Standing behind him shack his head.

So Chet are you cleared for duty or are you going to follow your advice of your horoscope and go hide from all the mishaps that await you today," Johnny teased.

"Chet, I here your cursed today," Dixie commented.

"That is just a bunch of hogwash and superstation," Chet retorted, and I for one don't believe in any of it.

"That the spirit." Dixie told him. "I'll see you guys later." And she turned back to her paper work.

"Yah," Roy said, as he picked up a small box with medical supplies in it. Then the three turned and headed for the Squad.

On their drive back to the station, Johnny pointed out, "That makes two accidents so far today Chet."

"That kid biting me was not an accident," Chet retorted, "He bit me on purpose." Then he spent the remainder of the ride back, trying to explain that there was a difference.

Both Roy and Johnny laughed at Chet's efforts to counter the definition of an accident in favor of his viewpoint.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

**"MVA"**

Back at the Station, everyone was working on their duty assignments for the day. Cap had asked Chet to finish up some paper work in his office. He was just finishing the assignment when Johnny stepped into the office. He was looking for a form he needed to finish his own paperwork. Chet gathering up the various pages he had been working on and tapped them on desk, in an effort to make pages straight and even. In the process his hand slipped a little and he gave himself a paper cut. He quickly pulled his hand away and put the finger in his mouth.

Johnny was quick to noticed Chet's actions. Realizing that he had hurt his self again. "Wow Chet, that makes three accidents today. Maybe you should start taking your horoscope more seriously." He stepped over and patted Chet on the shoulder and suggested. "Maybe you need to take a sick day and take it easy."

Chet stood up with the paper work in hand, and shrugged Johnny's hand off his shoulder. With a glare, he pushed his way past Johnny and walked out of the office, shaking his head. "Gage, you have got to be kidding."

Just then a call came in over the speakers. Station 51, Auto accident on the south bound lane of Interstate 405, mile marker 275 Interstate 4-0-5, mile marker 2-7-5, time out 13:23.

Chet dashed back into the office and dropped the report on top of the desk. Then both he and Johnny hurried out of the office getting stuck in the doorway. Chet you can leave me out of your fate." Johnny told him as he pushed on thru and hurried around the squad and climbed in.

Chet made a face at Johnny as he ran past to get into his position on the fire truck.

As they approached the accident they saw two vehicles were involved. A truck pulling a horse trailer, with a smaller sports car sandwiched between the truck and the barrow pit on the right side of the Interstate.

Johnny said, "It look's like the driver of the truck drifted into the car on the right, forcing both vehicles off the road."

Roy pulled up behind the horse trailer and both men jumped out of the squad and retrieved their equipment. "I'll take the Truck," Johnny said and Roy turned and headed over to the sports car.

Chet and Marco claimed down from the fire truck and Cap instructed them to check for gas leaks and pulled the battery cables on both vehicles. He didn't want to add a fire to the accident. Cap also noticed that the horse in the trailer was upset; the poor animal was whinnying and kicking at the door to the trailer. "Hey Chet Pal, when you're done with the battery cables, see if you can help get the horse out of the trailer."

Chet yanked on the battery cables of the truck and then he ran over to the trailer. On his first assessment of the situation he noticed blood on the trailer. Taking a closer look he found that the horse had received a cut on his chest area. He turned back towards Cap and advised, "The horse has been injured. It might be a good idea to call in a Vet with another horse trailer."

The Captain acknowledged him with a nod of his head as he lifted his hand with the HT and said, "This is Station fifty-one," we have a horse involved with this accident and it has been injured, please notify animal control. We also suggest they bring a second horse trailer to our current location."

"Ten-four, fifty-one," The dispatcher responded.

Johnny opened the driver's side door to the truck. He found an older man, slump over the steering wheel. He quickly checked for a pulse. But he couldn't find one, he quickly pulled the man off the steering wheel and assessed him further and concluded his chances of reviving him were small. Johnny then reached over and checked for a pulse on the young woman on the other side of the man and found she had a strong pulse. He turned from the truck, "Mike can you help me out over here."

Mike quickly ran over to Johnny asking, "What have you got?"

"The old man in gone, I need help getting him out so I can work on the woman." Mike called Marco over and they quickly moved the man out of the truck and Johnny quickly slipped inside to asses the woman further.

Marco and Mike quickly moved the man in front of the truck where he was out of the way. Then Marco retrieved a blanket from the squad and covered him with a blanket. While Mike informed Cap of the code F and he called it in.

Johnny found the women lying face down with her right arm above her head and her side up against the gear shift. As he was checking for possible injuries as he palpated her right side and the woman responded with a moan. Johnny called to her, "Mama my name is John Gage, and I'm with the Los Angeles Fire Department." There was no response. Gently, he rolled her over on the seat and checked her eyes with his pen light then he quickly checked for other possible injuries.

Marco returned to Johnny's side. "How is she?" he asked.

"She's unconscious," Johnny replied. "Help me move her out of the truck." Johnny gently pulled the woman into a sitting position and rested her against is chest as he slipped his arms under her arms. Then he gently pulled her out of the truck. "Marco, grabbed her legs." As soon as Johnny was able to get enough room, Marco stepped in and grabbed the woman's legs. They quickly carried her over behind the sports car and laid her down near their equipment. Johnny quickly retrieved a BP cuff and stethoscope and began taking her vitals.

Roy opened the passenger side of the little sports car. He found a middle aged man, who was bleeding from a cut on his head. He climbed across the seat and pulled out a pen light and checked the man's pupils as he said, "Hi, my name is Roy DeSoto. I'm with the Los Angelis Fire Department. Can you tell me what your name is?"

The man made eye contact with Roy and answered, "Frank Wilcox."

"Hi Frank," he said with a smile on his face. Can you tell me were your hurt?" and he wrapped a blood pressure cuff around the man's upper right arm and took his blood pressure.

"My head and left shoulder."

"Can you tell me what happened?" Roy asked, trying to asses the man awareness.

"I was passing that truck on the freeway, when the driver swerved to the left, then he over corrected and slammed into me. We both went off the road." He explained.

Roy back out of the car and looked over to where Johnny was working on the young woman, "Johnny what you got." He asked him as he set up the Bio-phone.

"Two victims, one code F."

Roy nodded his head and proceeded to contact Rampart, "This is Squad fifty-one, do you read?"

Dr. Early pushed a button and responded, "We read you fifty-one."

"Rampart we have two victims involved in an MVA and one DOA." Roy explained.

The first victim is a male approximately 45 years of age. He has a cut on the forehead and is complaining of pain in his left shoulder. His vital signs are BP 135/80, pulse 120, and Respirations 23." Both eyes are equal and reactive.

"Ten-four, Fifty-one. Immobilize his shoulder and transport." Dr. Early advised "Is the mad in much pain?"

"He doesn't seem to be Rampart."

"Ten-four, fifty-one. Do you have vitals for the second victim?" Dr Early inquired.

Roy looked over to where Johnny was working on the young woman. "Stand by Rampart."

"Standing by," Dr. Early acknowledged.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

**"Kayigon"  
**

As Johnny was getting the woman's pulse, she moaned and her eyes fluttered opened and she looked up at him.

"Hi, my name's John Gage. I'm with the Los Angeles Fire Department. Can you tell me what is your name is?"

Suddenly her eyes opened wide with fear, as she began to remember the accident. She began moving her head around looking for something or someone. "Where's my granddad? Is he alright?" She asked.

"Don't you worry about him," Johnny said. "He's being taken care of."

Then she heard the whinnies of the horse, "Kayigon, she cried as she tried to sit up."

"Hey, lay down mama." Johnny said as he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently held her down. "Take it easy we are here to help you, now please calm down."

The young woman continued to struggle and then she cried out in pain and grabbed her side. This time Johnny was able to lay her back down. Though she continued to protest verbally, "I've got to help Kayigon."

"Who?" Johnny asked.

"My horse, Kayigon." The women replied.

"Your horse is being taken care of," Johnny told her, "See my friends are over there with him now." Johnny reassured her. Pointing over to where Chet and a police officer where working at getting the horse out of the trailer. "Now, can you tell me your name?"

"Stacy Green," the women replied as she relaxed back down.

"Can you tell me where you're hurt?" Johnny asked.

"My right arm and side," Stacy replied. "And my head hurts a little bit too."

"Okay, I need you to lie still while I contact the hospital, will you do that?" Stacy nodded here head.

He scooter over to the bio-phone and picked up the receiver. "Rampart?"

"Go ahead fifty-one."

"Rampart second victim in a woman around twenty two years of age, her BP is 145/90, respiration 20, pulse 135." She is complain of pain on her right arm and side I suspect possible arm fracture and possible injury to her ribs as well as a possible concussion."

"Ten-four, Fifty-one administer an IV with ringers and immobilize her arm and ribs and transport as soon as possible."

"IV with ringers and immobilize and transport, Ten-four Rampart." The he quickly gathered the equipment he would need and returned back to the woman's side. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"We were taking Kayigon to be breed with another horse." Stacy explained. "I noticed Granddad was breathing faster and was sweating. Then he grabbed his chest and slumped over the stirring wheel." Again she attempted to look around for her Grandfather. "Is he okay?" She asked Johnny again, "Is someone helping him too."

"Don't worry," Johnny replied. Then he asked, "What happened after your granddad fell over the steering wheel?"

Stacy continued to explain, "I reached over and grabbed the steering wheel, because the truck was drifting to the left." Stacy explained. "But I think I pulled to hard, because we hit the other car and I was thrown up against the dashboard and gear shift."

While Johnny and Roy were working with their human victims, Chet and a police officer were working to calm the down the horse and get him out of the trailer. They had been able to open the back gate and were talking to the animal, in an attempt to calm it down.

It seemed to be working, so Chet reached in and touched the horse's neck to let the animal know someone was there. "Wahoo boy," he said to the horse in a calm voice. The horse shuffled his feet in irritation, but Chet continued to talk to the horse. "Take it easy, we're not going to hurt you."

The animal continued to settling down. Chet slowly reached into the trailer and untied the halter rope and clucked his tong at the horse and encouraged him to back up. Once the horse was out of the trailer, Chet reached up and stroked the horse's neck again. "That's a good boy, were not going to hurt you." He continued to talk to the animal as he moved in, to take a closer look at the cut on the horse's chest area.

The horse became agitated and he started stomping his hooves and shaking his head. Chet continued to talk to the horse in an effort to calm him down again, when the horse brought his front hoof down on Chet's foot. Chet cried out in pain and the horse reared up in surprise. Chet quickly turned away from the horse and fell to the ground still in reach of the horse's hooves.

When Chet's cry out in pain, Marco turned to see what had happened. He saw Chet on the ground trying to scramble away from the swinging hooves of the horse. While Cap stepped up and tried to direct the horse away from Chet. Marco quickly ran over to Chet and pulled him away to safety.

"Are you okay," Roy called over to Chet.

"Yes." Chet answered as Marco helped him to standup.

Johnny had Stacy sitting on a gurney and was adjusting a sling on her arm, when the horse rear back. With out a word, Stacy quickly stood and hurried over to the horse, knocking Johnny down on her way and dragging her IV bag behind her. "Wahoo boy!" She called, as she stepped up to the horse. She reached out with her good arm, the one with the IV in it, and gently patted the horse's neck, and calling his name.

Johnny quickly got to his feet and followed behind her, picking up trailing IV bag.

Once Stacy had the horse under control, she turned around and scowled at the firemen and started to berate them on their horsemanship, when her eyes fell on the blanket covered form of her grandfather. She stood there for a moment frozen.

Johnny quickly turned to see what she was looking at. When he realizing it was her grandfather, he reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder and gently started to guide her back over to the gurney.

"I'm sorry," Johnny said. "He was dead when we arrived." Then he continued to explain, "From what you told me, he probably had a major heart attack at the same time he slumped over the steering wheel." Johnny had the woman walking over to gurney and was prompting her to sit back down, when Stacy's temper flared. She pulled away from him and walked back over to her horse.

"I'm going to stay with Kayigon until we get him to a vet," She declared.

Johnny quickly followed her, still holding onto the IV bag. "Let me take a look at this." He told her as he slipped the bag under his arm and took a hold of the woman's right arm. He quickly saw that the catheter had been pulled out and the only thing holding it to her arm, was the tape. "Stacy, you need to come back to the gurney so I can fix this. Then we need to get into the ambulance, so we can get you to the hospital where the Doctors can take care of your injuries."

Stacy refused to acknowledge what the paramedic was telling her, and she resisted the gentle pull of Johnny's grip on her arm, as he tried to get her back to the gurney. But she continued to resist. Johnny stayed at the woman's side as she talked to the horse with tears rolling down her face. Mike had gotten him some gauze and he finished removing the IV from her arm and was holding presser to stop the bleeding.

The Veterinarian arrived with a horse trailer in tow. The vet gave the horse a quick examination and after he took care of the necessary emergency treatment he needed. He loaded the horse into the trailer he had brought with him.

"Miss Green," Johnny addressed the young woman. "It seems that Kayigon is in good hands now. Why don't you let us take care of you and get you to a doctor's take care of you too?"

Stacy turned towards the paramedic to tell him to leave her alone, but then her face blanked and she collapsed into Johnny's arms. He gently lowered her to the ground and Marco quickly stepped up and helped to load her onto the waiting gurney and into the ambulance, where Roy's patient was already sitting. Roy handed him the drug box and bio-phone and stepped back as Marco closed the doors and gave it a hard slap and then watched as the ambulance pulled out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

**"Accident Number Four and Five"**

Roy turned towards the remaining equipment when he saw Cap knelling in front of Chet, who was sitting on the bumper of the fire truck with one boot off. "What happened?" He asked as he stepped over.

"That crazy horse stepped on me," Chet exclaimed.

Cap stood up and moved out of the way so Roy could take a look at the foot. He finished pulling his sock off and could see some bruising develop. "Can you move your toes?" Chet wiggled his toes and Roy gently poked around on the foot. With a slight grin on his face, he shook his head and said, "Chet I think you're going out of your way to prove your horoscope right today."

"Get your laughs while you can," Chet grumbled. "Next shift it will be someone else's turn to be the brunt of all the jokes." He would make sure of it.

"Well Chet," Roy said, "You've got some bruising and there's a possibility you will loss the nail on your big toe. But I don't think you broke anything."

Cap had been standing near by and had heard the diagnosis. "Will you be okay to finish your shift?" He asked his line man.

"I'm fine," He said as he began to pull his sock back on to his foot.

Back at the station Roy and Johnny had just returned from the hospital. As they came walking into the kitchen area, Mike announced, "Dinner will be ready soon. Chet has made a casserole from a new recipe."

Both Johnny and Roy stepped out to wash their hands. Chet was waiting for their return. As soon as everyone was in the room he opened the oven door and wafted the escaping steam towards the table. "Smell the aroma it almost smells too good to eat." He remarked.

"Come on Chet bring it over here, were hungry," Marco exclaimed.

Chet reached into the oven to pull the dish out, but he turned to make another remark about the food and bumped his arm on the side of the hot oven. He jerked his arm away from the heat of the oven causing the casserole dish to slip from the hot pads and fall to the floor where it shattered leaving a huge mess.

"There goes dinner," Roy exclaimed.

"Chet get that burn under cold water." Johnny instructed.

Cap turned to Marco and said, "Get the mop and well get this mess cleaned up." Then he turned to Chet and said, "There are better ways to get attention you know." As a smile spread across his face.

"Not you too." Chet remarked.

While Marco and Roy cleaned up the mess on the floor, Johnny took over the care of Chet's burn and Cap and Mike made some sandwiches to go with the salad Chet had prepared to go with the casserole. Soon everyone was sitting down to eat.

"How many accidents does this make?" Marco asked. "You sure are racking them up today."

Grins spread on all the faces around the table and Roy spoke up, "You scrapped your knuckles on the way to work this morning that's one."

Johnny added, "Then you scarred that kid and he bit you. That's number two. Oh and there was the paper cut before this last run." He pointed out, which the others were not aware of. "That makes three."

Chet began to protest when Mike spoke up, "and then the horse stepped on you making it four."

"And you burned your arm which brings the total up to five," Cap stated. "Do you know how much paper work that makes for me?"

Chet blushed and opened his mouth to speak when the tones rang out and the dispatcher said, "Station 51, Station 127, and Engine 32, Fire at the old Carson Motel, 466 and Belmont, 4-6-6 and Belmont, cross street Lexington, time out 13:18.

Everyone worked to quickly stuff the food into the refrigerator and ran to their designated vehicles. While Cap acknowledged the call, "Station 51, Ten-four, KMG-365."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 The Carson Motel Fire

As both trucks pulled up to the old 3 story motel, they could see flames flashing from the windows on the second floor. Mike stopped the engine by the nearest fire hydrant and Marco jumped out and ran to the back of the truck and grabbed an arm full of fire hoses and wrapped it around the fire hydrant giving Mike a wave and he pulled forward to be closer to the fire, and Marco busied himself with hooking the hose up to the fire hydrant, Mike hopped out and worked at getting the hoses hooked up to the pumps on the fire truck while Chet pulled another hose from the back of the truck so that it could be hooked up to the pumps and be used to fight the fire.

Captain Stanley climbed out of the cab of the fire truck and quickly evaluated the seen. Being the first captain to arrive he was responsible for directing all the response vehicles and he started barking out orders to his men. Then as he began to hear the other emergency vehicles approach his HT and instructed them to pull in at other areas of the building to deal with the fire and attack it from all sides.

Johnny and Roy climbed out of the squad and began pulling on their turn coats, while they quickly scanned the crowed for possible victims, needing their help. Roy noticed a man that seemed to be taking charge of the residents of the building. And he hurried over to him and asked, "Do you know if everyone is out of the building."

"I'm checking." The man replied and then returned back to his head count.

Roy and Johnny quickly returned to the squad and pulled out their oxygen tanks and face masks and began putting them on, in preparation to assist with fighting the fire. When the man came running up to them. We can't find Mr. Thompson or Steve and Spencer Michaels they all live on the Third floor.

"We'll take care of it." Roy assured him, "Can you help keep everyone back." Then they both ran over to where Captain Stanley was standing. "Cap, there a possibility of three people still be in the building on the third floor."

Captain nodded and turned to Chet and Marco who had just finished donning their oxygen tanks. "Take an inch and a half up to the second floor and keep the way open for Johnny and Roy to rescue some people on the third floor."

As his men turned and hurried into the building Cap raised his HT and call for a second squad and ambulance, then he turned his full attention on to the burning building.

The four men worked together to get the hose pulled into the building and up to the second floor, then Roy and Johnny left Chet and Marco to fight the fire, while they continued up the stairwell to the third floor, to search for the missing people. The fire had not reached that end of the building where the stairwell ran and it looked like, with some luck and Chet and Marco efforts, would give them the time to find the victims and get them back out.

Once Roy and Johnny reached the third floor they split up and started checking the room's one at a time. They would enter the small apartments and make a quick visual search while calling out to possible victims then they would retreat close the door and mark it with an X in chalk and move onto the next room. Johnny quickly found the older man inside one of the first rooms. The man was unconscious on the floor. He quickly pulled the man up over his shoulder and headed back to the hallway and watched for Roy to step in to the hall way and see that he had one of the missing people. Roy waved him on towards the stair well and turned back to finish checking the remaining rooms. As he checked each room, Roy became aware of the smoke getting thicker and new the fire was working its way up to the third floor, indicating that his time was running out.

Johnny quickly descended the stairwell and on out of the building. He headed across the road where the squad sat and where Mike had their equipment set out and a blanket laid out for their patients. He laid the old man down and started him on oxygen and gather his vital signs.

After checking two more room, Roy heard a cry coming from the next room in front of him. He ran into the room and found the two boys lying on the floor. Both boys were coughing but conscious. It was obvious that they had been instructed to keep low in a fire where the air is better. Roy hurried over too them and pulled his mask off and handed it to one of the boys and asked if they could move on their own.

"I can," one of the boys answered as he coughed and pasted the mask over to his brother. "But Spencer has a cast on his leg and can't walk on it." Roy told the first young man to stay low and head on out of the building as quickly as possible. He reassured him that he would be right behind him with his brother. The boy quickly crawled out of the room and on down the hallway.

Roy replaced his air mask and helped Spencer to a standing position and ducked under his arm and helped him out into the hall way and towards the stairwell. They had only taken a couple of steps towards the stairwell when the floor behind them caved in. Roy didn't look back, he just hurried faster towards the stair well and on down the stairs to the second floor.

When they reached the second floor Roy saw that Chet and Marco had been driven back to the stairwell by the flames. Marco noticed Roy's decent and shouted that he needed to hurry.

Roy nodded his head and hurried past them and continued on down the stair well as fast as he could move while assisting the boy. Chet and Marco continued to back up while spraying the fire with the hose, as they too worked to retreat, but the hose was not cooperating. With it filled with water it made the hose stiff and reluctant to be moved. Marco tapped Chet on the shoulder to let him know he was going to let go of the hose. Chet nodded his head to let him know he understood and was ready. Marco then back away a short distance to pull on the hose and work it back. All of the sudden there was an explosion. Marco was knocked backwards down the stairwell, as another portion of the upper floor came down on top of Chet.

Roy had just reached the landing of the first floor when the explosion forced him and the young man to the floor. Roy quickly looked back up the stairs searching for any sign of Marco or Chet but didn't see them. He knew his first responsibility was to the young man at his side he quickly got back up to his feet and help the young man up and over his shoulder and hurried out of the building with him.

Marco had managed to stop his tumbling descent about halfway down the stairwell. He shook his head and moved to a sitting position and quickly assessed his injuries. His left arm was hurting but he could still move it and his left hip hurt as well. His eyes scanned up the stairs above him looking for any sign of Chet. When he didn't appear Marco pulled his HT from his pocket, "We need some help in here. The third floor has collapsed and I can't see Chet at the moment." At the same time he was working his way back up the stairwell to search for his co-worker and friend. As he came into full view of the second floor, he saw the fire hose whipping around in the air and a pile of debris covering the spot where he had last seen Chet standing. Pulling the HT back up he reported, "Chet is trapped under debris from the collapse of the third floor." Then he returned the HT to his pocket and hobbled forward to pile of debris, calling to Chet. He wrestled the hose under control and directed it onto the flames that were flickering from the debris piled. Then when he was sure the fire was out in the pile he shut the water off and hurried over to the mound of lumber and other building materials and started pull it off of his friend.

When the explosion rattled the building, all the firemen working on the fire quickly dropped to the ground to avoid injury from the flying debris. Then their eyes quickly took in the seen around them to ascertain what needed to be done next and more importantly to check for anyone who might have been injured.

Johnny's eyes quickly turned to the front entrance of the building in search of his partner. His fears were quickly dispelled as he saw Roy hurrying over towards him with a young boy running ahead of him and a second young man over his shoulder. Seeing that Roy was safe, Johnny turned his gaze back to the building to watch for Chet and Marco, but neither man appeared. Soon the Boy moving under his own power reached the treatment area and collapsed to his knees coughing. Johnny worked quickly to start the boy on oxygen as Roy was settling the other boy down next to the older man. The second Squad pulled up and Peters and McGuire left the cab and grabbed their equipment and hurried over to offer assistants with the injured. Once Johnny could see that all three victims where receiving care he stood and quickly ran over to Cap to find out what he knew. As soon as Johnny was in reached, Cap turned to him and said, "Chet and Marco need your help." Then he called to two other firemen from station 127 and asked them to help too. Johnny quickly pulled his face mask back on as he ran back into the building followed by the other two firemen. When they reached the second floor, Johnny saw one fireman working to clear debris off another. He hurried over to help and discovered it was Marco who was pulling debris off Chet. "Chet," Johnny called out as he joined in to help, but Chet didn't respond. All four men worked together to heaved a large piece of the ceiling off of Chet, and as they shoved the section away, Johnny noticed a metal rod with blood on it and quickly conclude that the blood belong to Chet. He quickly moved over to Chet to scan for noticeable injuries as he bent over him and felt for a carotid pulse. "Chet, can you hear me buddy?" he called out over the roar of the fire, but there was no response. Johnny nodded to one of the firemen from 127 and said, "Help me carry him out." The two quickly and gently picked Chet up and carried him down the stairs and out of the building, while the other man from 127 helped Marco follow behind them.

Roy looked up from loading the last of the three victims into one of the two ambulances. Peters had agreed to take them in so as soon as he was no longer needed he turned his attention over to the entrance of the burning building. To Him it seemed like Johnny and the other firemen were taking way to long to. He knew the longer they stayed in the unstable building the greater the risk of someone else getting injured and he started over towards his captain to find out what he knew.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Accident Number Six

Cap watched as the men retreated from the burning building. Due to the numbers on their helmets he could identify the two men from 127. One was helping to carry one of his men. And the other was helping a second man from station 51. All Five men still had their masks on and from where his stood he couldn't tell who the three men from station 51 where. Turning his eyes to the man being carried, he quickly deduced that was Chet, because Marco had told him over the radio that Chet had been trapped. Then his eyes turned to the two men bringing up the rear. He was almost sure that the limping man was Marco, though with Johnny's injury record it could have been him who needed the assistance.

All of the men under him were like family and his heart ached with the thought of any one of them being injured. And here were two of them being help out of the building.

As the men lowered Chet to the ground, Roy quickly worked to remove his mask and air tank, while Johnny opened Chet's heavy coat in search of the injury that was causing the bleeding.

The other fire man from 127 slowly sat Marco down next to them. Marco removed his air mask and watched as the two paramedics work on Chet.

As soon as Roy removed Chet mask he became aware that Chet's breathing was raspy and labored. At the same time Johnny had lifted Chet's blood covered shirt to expose the injury underneath. There at the bottom of Chet's rib cage was an open wound frothing with air bubbles as Chet struggled to breath.

"Roy," Johnny called out, "He's got a sucking chest wound."

Roy's eyes quickly moved to the wound and then back up to Johnny where their eyes met. Both sets filled worry and concern. Even Marco knew enough about first aid to know that this was a serious injury.

Roy quickly put an oxygen mask over Chet's face and then proceeded to cut the sleeve of his turncoat so he could took his blood pressure.

Marco looked down at Chet's unconscious form on the ground and announced, "I'll go tell Cap." As he struggled to stand, Roy noticed him grimace and saw his hand moved to his left hip area.

"You stay put, and we will be with you in a minute." Roy told him as he tugged him back down. Then he turned and waved to Cap and signaled him to come over.

Upon Cap's arrival he asked, "What have we got?"

"Chet is unconscious and has a sucking chest wound as well as some minor burns," Johnny reported.

Then Roy added, "Marco is injured as well, but we don't know the extent of his injuries at this time."

"I'll be okay, you take care of Chet," Marco insisted.

Cap turned and looked to Marco and nodded to indicate he under stood. Then he quickly brought his HT to his mouth as and informed dispatch that he had two firemen down. Then he returned his gaze back to the fire, as he let a quick prayer run through his mind on be half of Chet and Marco.

Johnny applied an occlusive dressing with vaseline over the ugly wound on Chet's upper abdomen. This type of bandage when sealed on three sides would help stop air from the outside being sucked in through the wound, but allow some of the air that was trapped inside the chest cavity to escape.

Roy, turned to the bio-phone and picked up the receiver, "Rampart this is squad 51."

Dr. Brackett responded, "Go ahead 51."

Rampart we have two additional victims, the first is a male 32 years of age. He is unconscious and suffering from a sucking chest wound and minor burns. His BP in 120/65, pulse 100, and respirations are," he paused and looked at Johnny.

"Respirations are 15 and labored," Johnny replied.

Roy repeated the information to Dr. Brackett and added, "We have him on O2 and have applied an occlusive dressing over the wound."

"10-4, 51," Dr. Brackett acknowledge. Then he instructed, "51, start an IV-D5W. Then continue to monitor vitals and transport as soon as possible."

"10-4 Rampart," Roy replied

"51, what are the vitals on the second victim?" Dr. Brackett inquired, when Roy didn't continue relating information.

Roy quickly replied, "Stand by."

Johnny handed the IV to Roy picked up the BP Cuff and turned to Marco and asked, "Where are you hurt?"

Marco told him that he had landed hard on the stairs when he was knocked back by the explosion and that his left hip area really hurt.

Johnny finished gathering Marco's vitals and picked up the receiver, Rampart we have the vitals on the second man.

"Go ahead 51," came the reply.

"The second victim is a male 34 years of age, his BP is 145/80, pulse is 120 and respirations are 22," Johnny explained. "He is complaining of pain in his left hip area."

"10-4, 51. E-mobilize and transport as soon as possible." Dr. Brackett responded

By this time the fire was under control and both Chet and Marco were ready for transport. Cap walked over to check on them one more time before they pulled out. "How are they doing," he inquired.

"Marco has injured his hip but I think it's only bruised," Johnny explained.

Then Roy said, "Chet's not doing as well."

Cap eyes turned to Chet. He could hear Chet rasping struggle to breath. Again a quick prayer ran though his mind and then he said, "He'll be alright. He's in good hands." Then he turned and continued to monitor the clean up of the fire seen.

The second ambulance arrived and they quickly loaded Marco and Chet, then Roy climbed into the back of the ambulance with the two injured men. Johnny handed him the bio-phone and the drug box and shut the doors and pounded twice to signal the driver that the door were shut. Then he hurried to load the rest of their gear, so he could follow them in.

Roy continued to monitor Chet's vitals as Marco watched. When the ambulance was about 5 minuets away from the hospital Chet's respirations had dropped to 5 breaths per minuet.

Roy quickly picked up the receiver of the Bio-phone and said, "Rampart this 51, without giving Dr. Brackett an opportunity to acknowledge, he continued speaking, "The victim's respirations have dropped to 5 and are extremely labored. Request permission to perform a needle pleural tap?

"10-4, 51, permission granted," came the reply.

Roy quickly instructed the driver to pull over and stop as he gathered the supplies that he would need. Then he worked quickly to swab down Chet's chest area, and then he inserted a large gage needle into Chet's upper abdomen area and into the sack around his lung. This would help to release the air pressure that had been trapped inside, that was preventing Chet's lung from fully inflating. After Roy had finished the procedure, Chet's respirations increased to 10 and he was breathing a little easier.

Roy got the ambulance moving again and then reported back to Rampart that the victim was breathing easier and respirations had increased to 10.

At the hospital Roy quickly helped them unload Chet and roll him through the door way, were Dixie was waiting to direct them into an examination room.

She took one look at Roy and saw the worried look on his face and then she looked down to see Chet lying on the gurney, and her countenance fell and she hesitated for a moment, then quickly instructed them to take him to room 1.

Then she watched as a second gurney rolled in through the doors carrying Marco. Dix shook her head and said, "You too, are there any others hurt?"

Marco answered, "No." Dixie rested a hand on his shoulder and then she directed the orderlies to take him to treatment Room 3, where Dr. Early was waiting to treat him.

Johnny was not far behind the ambulance, he quickly parked the squad and hoped out just in time to see Marco being pushed into Treatment Room 3, and he followed him in.

Roy stayed with Chet until they had him stabilized and were moving him up to surgery. As Roy stood in the hallway watching as Chet being rolled into the elevator, Johnny came up beside him and watched until the doors on the elevator closed.

Then Johnny asked, "What's the latest news on Chet?"

"One of his lungs collapsed and they have to re-inflate it. There taking him up to surgery now to get every thing cleaned out and patched up." Roy informed him. Then he asked, "How's Marco?"

"He's going to be okay," Johnny said. "He didn't break anything, though he is badly bruised, they're going to keep him overnight for observation. "


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 "The Waiting"

Back at the fire it didn't taken long for word of Chet's and Marco's injuries to travel to everyone working on the fire. Any fireman down was a case for worry, but for the two remaining members of Station 51, waiting for word on their comrade's conditions was the hardest.

It was around 10:00 pm, Johnny and Roy had notified dispatch that they were available, but they remained at the hospital waiting to hear how Chet's surgery had goon.

Johnny broke the silence, as he blew out a long breath of air and said, "I wish I hadn't teased Chet so hard about all the little accidents he's had today."

"I know what you mean," Roy replied.

Johnny turned to Roy and asked, "Do you think his horoscope had any real affect on all of his mishaps today?"

"NO!" Roy answered quickly.

Johnny looked at his partner and friend and wondering, how could he be so sure.

Roy could see the apprehension in Johnny face, so he explained, "I'm a Scorpio too."

Johnny face showed comprehension. "You know I forgot that," he said. "We never got around to reading your horoscope."

There was silence for a few more minutes, and then Roy went on to say, "It's common for all of us to get minor injuries in a day's work. It was only because we were taking such a great effort to emphasize Chet's mishaps today, that we were so aware of every little one."

"You know Roy, your probably right." Johnny agreed with him.

It's was now 10:30pm and Roy commented. "Maybe we should check on Marco and head back to the station and turn in."

Johnny was just about to agree with Roy when he saw Dr. Brackett and Dixie step off the elevator. They were still wearing their green surgical gowns. As they caught sight of each other Johnny and Roy walked over to meet them.

Dr. Brackett said, "I think he's going to be okay. They will be moving him to ICU in an hour."

Then Dixie added, "He still has a chance of developing pneumonia but even if he does we can still pull him through and get him back you before you know it."

"Thanks'," Roy said with a sigh of relief.

Then Johnny said, "We should head back now and let everyone else know he's going to be okay."

"No, I think you need to call them," Dixie suggested, "It's faster."

"Yah, your right," Johnny agreed and turned to pick up the phone, only to find that Roy had beaten him to it.

After they called the station the visited Marco and gave him the update and then headed back to the station.

Back at Station 51, every one was suppose to be in bed sleeping. Instead, Mike was sitting at the table nursing a glass of milk and Captain Stanley was in his office trying to work on some paperwork, but he wasn't very productive with it. Even Chet's and Marco's replacement, Jack Hollingshead and Kyle Nelson were lying in their beds wide awake.

Suddenly their quite was interrupted by the ringing of the phone. Captain Stanley quickly answered, "Station 51 Captain Stanley speaking."

"Cap this is Roy." He quickly informed Cap on Chet's current status and that they would be returning soon. Cap quickly hung up the phone and turned to find the others the good new, only to find them standing in the door way to his office.

Cap told the men that Chet was out of surgery and doing good. Then he told them, there was still a possibility of Chet developing pneumonia, but even if that happened the out look was still good.

There were a few comments of relief and jubilation, and then Cap suggested that everyone turn in.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 "Good News"

Two days later Johnny and Roy stopped at Rampart to visit Chet. They walked up to the desk where Dixie was sitting and asked, "How's he doing today?"

Dixie raised her head and answered, "Better, he has been real lucky. Because of the antibiotics he was taking for that bite, we have been able to keep his pneumonia at bay and he is recovering quicker then he would have other wise."

"Imagine that," Johnny commented, "being saved by a bite."

"There were other factors that played a greater roll in Chet's swift recovery," Dixie said.

"What was that," Roy inquired.

A dainty smile creased Dixie's face as she responded, "The excellent care of two very talented Paramedics."

Both Roy and Johnny blushed a little at Dixie's complement.

"What room is he in," Johnny asked.

"316," Dixie instructed, and both Johnny and Roy turned and stepped into the elevator.

As they walked into Chet's room they found him resting. They still had him on oxygen, but his color was a lot better then it was the day before when they had come by to visit him.

Chet looked up at his visitor's he asked, "How are thing back that the station? Is everyone missing me?"

Roy was quick to pick up on the fact that Chet's voice was stronger too.

While Johnny, was quick to indicate that there was not a single man at the station who had even noticed that Chet was gone. Of course Chet knew better, but he responded as if he had been crushed by this news.

"When are they going to let you out of here," Roy asked.

"I don't know?" Chet answered, "But it better be soon, it's very boring around here."

Both Roy and Johnny knew how that was, since they had both been hospitalized after being injured on duty.

"Well we brought you some magazines," Johnny said, as he hand them to Chet. With a smile, Johnny noticed the stack of magazines that were already piling up on the cabinet next to his bed.

Chet gingerly reached over and took the magazines from Johnny and looked at their titles. The one on the top of the stack was a salt water fishing magazine. Chet set this aside as he looked at the second magazine, it was a weight lifting magazine. Then he glanced at the last one and saw in was a magazine on muscle cars.

"Gee guy's thanks for thinking about me," He said with a sarcastic tone to his voice.

By this time Chet knew that every one at station 51 had gotten together and planned to bring Chet various magazines. Especially since there were no duplicates and he had a high stack that kept accumulating higher with each visit. And most of them were not magazines he would have asked for.

"Glad to help," Johnny responded.

With a slight grin on his face Roy asked, "Is there anything else we can get you Chet."

"Yah, sneak me in some descent food," Chet answered quickly.

"Now Chet, I thought that you would eat anything when you were hungry," Johnny chastised him.

"I will," Chet replied. "But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate good food when it is served to me."

"Do you have anything you want to request?" Roy asked.

"How about some of Marco's chili," Chet suggested.

"Are you sure you want to do that to yourself?" Roy asked as he gave Chet a look of amazement. Then he went on to suggest, "How about a chocolate milk shake."

"Hay, that would be great," Chet exclaimed. How quick can you get it here?

Both Johnny and Roy laughed and turned to walk out the door, while Johnny called over his shoulder, "We'll bring it in tomorrow, when we come in to replenish our medical supplies."

"Thanks for nothing," Chet called after them.

About a half an hour later Dixie entered Chet's room with a tall milk shake in hand. "From your fellow firemen," she said as she set it down on the table over his bed.

"What did they put in it, chocolate ex-lax?" Chet said giving the tall cup a glare.

"Well I could take it down to the Lab and have it tested," Dixie suggested. Then she added, "But if I do, I can't grantee its condition upon its return."

"Give it here," Chet grumped. "But you better have a doctor on stand by to help me recover for what ever they put in it."

Dixie winked at Chet and said. "Don't worry we always take good care of our Fireman."

Authors note: OK now you have made it all the way through the story, it would be nice to hear what you think. Please leave at least one feedback. Thank you.


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